One "Yes" Can Change Hundreds of Lives

When Melissa Rivet started a Girls on the Run team at Green Acres Elementary School in 2009, she wasn't thinking about milestones. She simply wanted to take a chance and make a change in her life. This turned into a space where girls could build confidence, make friends, and discover what they were capable of.

Since 2009, the team has hosted 17 seasons of Girls on the Run. 24 coaches have worked together to empower more than 200 girls in their Manchester community. 

Week after week, girls have laced up their sneakers, earned Energy Awards, and completed lessons throughout the school halls, across the blacktop, and around the soccer fields. Along the way, they've learned how to encourage one another, face challenges with confidence, and believe in themselves.

The impact hasn't stopped when the season ends.

Green Acres alumnae have carried those lessons into middle school, high school, athletics, and beyond. Many have continued running, and one participant even earned a full scholarship to Quinnipiac University after discovering a love of running that began with Girls on the Run.

But perhaps the greatest legacy isn't measured in miles or medals. It's measured in the hundreds of girls who left Green Acres believing they were capable of more than they imagined.

As we celebrate 25 years of Girls on the Run New Hampshire, we're grateful for school communities like Green Acres, where dedicated coaches continue creating opportunities for girls to discover their confidence, their strength, and their limitless potential.

Thank you, Green Acres, for being part of the Girls on the Run story.